Top marks for
management and innovation

The annual Top 100 competition recognises the innovative strength – and thus the future viability – of the award winners. Vollherbst scooped the award first time round – the fourth-generation print and labelling company had never entered the competition before. Innovation researcher Professor Nikolaus Franke and his team judged participating companies according to 120 criteria in five categories: Top management that promotes innovation, innovation culture, innovative processes and organisation, external orientation/open innovation and innovation success.

Vollherbst had impressive scores in the categories top management and innovation culture. Since taking over the management of the company from his dad, Franz-Josef, in 2014, Matthias Vollherbst has initiated many changes. These include a value pyramid that not only exists on paper but is put into practice by everyone in the company. At the top of the pyramid are value, innovation, efficiency and quality. Management also values transparent communication with each employee on both a professional and personal level. “We talk to each other instead of about each other,” Matthias says. “We discuss the good and the bad. We accept everyone makes mistakes and we try to learn from them. We as management want to exemplify this openness every day.”

To encourage innovation, Vollherbst has brainstorming sessions and runs regular workshops. Annual employee awards are also presented to the best performers. Clients benefit from this approach with innovations such as craftLABEL that set their products apart from those of their competitors.